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- No. 623,895. Patdnted Apr. 25, I899.

C. FUNKE.

RAPID FIRING GUN.

(Application filed. Doc. 29, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL FUNKE, or ESSEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP, or SAME PLACE.

RAPID-FIRING GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,895, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed December 20, 1898. SerialNo. 699,800. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CARL FUNKE, a citizen 'of the German Empire, residing at Essen, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rapid-Firing Guns,of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in rapid-firing guns with a cradle and a shoulder-piece for pointing; and it consists, essentially, in means for automatically maintaining the elevation of the gun during the recoil and running-out movement'of the barrel.

In guns supported in a cradle in which the barrel has a motion back and forth the position of the -gravity of the moving mass is changed. This change does not afiect guns provided with elevating mechanism, but it afiects guns pointed by ashoulder-piece, inasmuch as in firing the gun the gun and cradle have a tendency to settle at the rear end,

' whereby the elevation of the gun is changed.

To counteract this efiect of firing, it is desirable to provide means for automatically maintaining the elevation of the gun during the recoil and running-out movement. I accomplish this by providing the shoulder-piece with a clutch automatically clamping the eradle to the carriage at the commencement of the recoil'and releasing the cradle during the last part of the running-out movement.

The nature of my invention will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of part of a gun embodying my invention, the gun being in firing position and the clutch released. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the principal parts of Fig. 1, the clutch being in the position for recoil and runningout movement. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, partly in section. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Similarletters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the letter designates the gun-carriage; g, the cradle; h, the

shoulder-piece, fastened to the left check ofthe cradle. In firing, the gun-barrel runs back and then forward within the cradle, the trunnions of which are supported on the carriage. The shoulder-piece 7t has a slot on, within which one part of the clutching device (the cam a) is held by a bolt 1). The cam a has two teeth M. f is a finger secured on the gun-barrel, which finger in the firing position of the barrel projects into the space between the two teethi i, Fig. 1. The second part of the clutching device (the clutching-sector d) is fastened to the carriage k by bolt 6. This clutching-sector d is concentric to the trunnions of the cradle and extends into and through the slot m of the shoulderpiece. The inner concave face of the sector at abuts against the forward end wall of the slot 121..

The clutching-cam a has a jaw-piece Z, with a wedge-shaped groove eccentric to the bolt 1), adapted 4 to be pressed against the Wedgeshaped rear face of the sector (I.

When the clutching-cam a is in the position shown inFig. 1, the jaw'l is not in contact with the clutching-sector d. In this position the gun can be pointed to any desired elevation by means of the shoulder-piece. WVhen, however, the clutching-cam a is turned sufficiently to press the jawZ against the sector d, Fig. 2, onlya force tending to turn the breech end of the gun upward could release the clutch. Such a force, however, does not come into action in firing. On the contrary,

the breech end has a tendency to be depressed,

which will cause the jaw Z to be more firmly pressed against the sector (1. When the clutchcam a is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the cradle, respectively the gun-barrel, and the carriage are therefore coupled together in such a manner that the forces coming into action during firing cannot cause a change in the elevation of the gun.

Before firing the gun and the clutch arein the positions shown in Fig. 1, When the gun maybe pointed to any elevation by the shoulder-piece. When the gun is fired, it runs backward, and the finger f, acting against the tooth 'i, turns the cam a on the bolt 1), so as to press the jaw Z firmly against the sector d, while the finger clears the tooth '11, Fig. 2.

By the clutch the shoulder-piece, which is rigidly attached to the cradle, is clamped to ward the end of the running-out movement the finger f strikes the tooth i and turns the cam a back into'the position Fig. 1.

It is evident that the details of the clutch may be varied or that any other suitable friction device may be substituted therefor.

What I claim as new is 1. In a rapid-firing gun, the combination with the gun-carriage, the cradle and the barrel of the gun, of a shoulder-piece secured to the cradle; a clutch interposed between the shoulder-piece and the carriage; a clutch-cam pivoted within the shoulder-piece and provided with teeth 1 i; and a finger f attached to the gun and engaging said teeth, for automatically throwing the clutch into action at the commencement of the recoil, and releasing it toward the end of the running-out movement, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a rapid-firing gun, the combination with the gun-carriage, the'cradle and the barrel of the gun, of a shoulder-piece h secured to the cradle; a clutch interposed between the shoulderpiece and the carriage; said clutch consisting of a sector d concentric to the trunnions of the cradle, attached to the carriage and bearing against the forward end of a slot m in the shoulder-piece h, and a clutch-cam a with a jaw Z pivoted within the slot m; and a finger f attached to the gunbarrel, adapted to engage a tooth 7 during the first part of the recoil, so as to turn the cam a and force the jaw [against the sector, thereby locking the cradle to the carriage, and to release the clutch during the last part of the running-out movement by acting against the tooth i, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL FUN KE.

Witnesses RUDoLF PREUSSING, C. ROTH. 

